Is It Really Enlightened To Think 1/2 The Country Is “Wrong” and “Unaware” of Their Hidden Racism/ Sexism/ Xenophobia?

A wise man once said “Seek First To Understand.” Have we, the seekers of the world, been doing a lot of that lately? This week I have seen many posts and email threads, all really judgement masquerading as enlightenment. The overall thread is if you voted for Hillary Clinton you are enlightened and open minded, and if you voted for President Elect Trump you are simply too unenlightened and unaware of your inherent racist, xenophobic, sexist ways to even know better.

And I find it fascinating that when Obama won, and HALF the Country was as upset as the other half is now- no one – and I mean No One bothered with any of this… For many on the “left” there has been actually no thought to people other than those “like” us. Most of those who voted for Hillary have NO idea 1/2 the Country felt their same pain in the past 8 years. They are shocked when I mention it as a possibility.

And also fascinating that the assumption is that everyone who doesn’t hold our opinion is “Wrong” or “Racist”. The assumption of this line of thinking is that 1/2 of America – that’s over 59 Million People are Racist, Itolerant and just too unenlightened and ignorant to know better. For example, this from a school – a school’s letter to the parents of their children: “we now know for certain that racism is rife and often hidden in our very own choice of words, choice of stories, choice of places to go.”

Meanwhile at our child’s school the only intolerance occurring isn’t even hidden. The kids who supported Trump are being bullied and screamed at. And no one at school is stepping is as they would if the situation was in reverse. And kids a Berkley are telling people with White Skin they have no “right” to get to class safely, and no “right” to use the sidewalks on campus.

I know people who voted for Trump, some of them crying as they did so. And they are not racist. Many are actually minorities and women. Many are married to, or have best friends who are black and muslim. Oh and just to blow your mind I know of (and know) Blacks, Hispanics and Muslims who actually voted for Trump.. 🙂 Trump actually got MORE minority votes than the previous 2 Republican candidates.

Perhaps instead actually get out of the California and NYC, so very privileged box we live in. Where anyone who can’t find a job goes back “home to the mid-west” where we never hear from them again. And see what the rest of the Country has been doing the past 12 years. See what small town America looks like. See what has been making their downtowns boarded up and their residence live just at the poverty line.

Do what this man and his husband did if you would like to really show love. Really show understanding. Really stop pushing views on 1/2 the Country.. Or not, the choice is yours of course. : )

It is not enlightened to believe 1/2 the Country is wrong in their choice and we are enlightened and “know best.”

That is judgmental covered in faux new age “enlightened” thinking.. (And no that’s not a judgement in itself, that is awareness.)

If real change is looked to – look for real understanding. To do that you have to do something really uncomfortable. You have to ask people WHY they voted for Trump…

And simply LISTEN…

And then walk a mile in their shoes. Hard to do I know when even the media we watch won’t have actual Trump supporters on asking why they voted as they did…

You can easily start here, by reading what one Muslim, Immigrant, Gay Man from California found when he did just that.